What is the best tile for a kitchen floor?

The best tile for your kitchen is porcelain. It’s strong, durable, and looks great. These tiles are made by mixing clay and sand together and then treating them with heat and pressure. The result is a dense and less porous tile.

Are tiles in a kitchen a good idea?

Tile is a great idea for your kitchen because it’s durable and practical. It’s impervious to water, making it easy to clean. Tile comes in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes so that you can give your kitchen a custom look.

What color tile is easiest to keep clean?

The easiest tile to keep clean is polished porcelain tile. You can use almost any type of soap and water on it. However, you want to be careful not to choose a smooth polished tile. It can get dangerously slippery when wet. White will show all of the dirt right away. A natural stone with a variety of brown, beige, and tan will hide the most dirt, oil, and grime. However, you want your kitchen to be clean, so a tile that can hide the dirt will be harder to ensure your kitchen is sanitary.

9 Best Kitchen Floor Tile Ideas and Tips (Unique Flooring Designs)

“The kitchen is the heart of every home, for the most part. It evokes memories of your family history.” – Debi Mazar

You’re tired of the flooring in your kitchen and are ready to give it an upgrade. If you’re already planning a kitchen remodel, then it’s the perfect time to upgrade your kitchen’s flooring.

Tile is perfect for your kitchen flooring because it’s attractive and durable. This makes it the perfect choice for improving the look of your kitchen while also giving it longevity.

There are two options when considering kitchen floor tile ideas. Ceramic tile is beautiful but can be susceptible to cracking or chipping.

Porcelain tile is the better option because it is more durable, making it a smart choice for a high-traffic area like the kitchen. Consider these ideas when choosing new tile flooring for your kitchen.

1. Finding the Center and Creating Guidelines

If you have never laid tile before, this is not the project to learn with. Your kitchen is a high-traffic area, and your new tile flooring will get a lot of use. It’s also a central location in your home, so any mistakes or screw-ups will be readily seen by anyone that comes into your home.

A kitchen with white cabinets and gray floor tiles — Source: @debteague34 via Instagram

Modern kitchen with white cabinetry and marble counters — Source: @dreamdesigninteriors.co via Instagram

Stylish kitchen with island and white subway tiles — Source: @eandi_diy via Instagram

Kitchen with patterned rug and wooden flooring — Source: @pura_vida_home_and_gift via Instagram

Some homeowners still want to attempt their own tile anyway. If you do, start by preparing your flooring so that you have a clean and smooth surface.

Find the kitchen’s center and snap chalk guidelines to help you stay straight with your tile lines. Next, apply the mortar and work in small sections.

2. Light Gray for a Soft and Bright Look

One of the most popular colors in interior design is gray. It’s a popular neutral because it can look beautiful with many other colors. Gray works well as your kitchen floor tile because it can set the mood for the room.

A light gray tile will look softer than pure white but will still look light and bright.

Spacious kitchen with gray tiles and white island — Source: @stay_fit_to_fight via Instagram

Dark charcoal gray will give your kitchen a modern and sophisticated feel. The dark charcoal will ground your kitchen. You can then pair it with lighter-colored cabinets and walls. The dark color on the floor will help your kitchen to look bigger.

3. Blending Your Kitchen Tile with the Rest of Your Home

If your kitchen is large and the center of your home, then you should choose a tile that will fit the stately stature of your kitchen. A subtle textured tile will be perfect for your entire kitchen.

Choose a large tile that will fit the scale of the kitchen. This will help retain the room’s large feeling where a smaller tile would close the space in or become overwhelming.

Luxurious kitchen with marble floor and gold accents — Source: @iqdes.ru via Instagram

Bright kitchen with large window and glossy marble tiles — Source: @the.home.of.grey via Instagram

Kitchen with stone floor and garden view — Source: @thehighlandhome via Instagram

Rustic kitchen with wooden cabinets and patterned floor — Source: @titanfactorydirect via Instagram

You should also consider transitioning your tile from the other areas of your home. This will help blend your kitchen into the rest of your home. That way, it looks cohesive, and your home flows from one room to the next.

4. The Appeal of Marble Tiles

Give your kitchen a modern feel by choosing a tile that’s considered modern. You could choose marble tile for an elegant feel. Be aware that marble takes a lot of maintenance and care. Granite tile is another option for an upscale look to your kitchen.

Minimalist kitchen with tiles that resemble marble — Source: @the.home.of.grey via Instagram

Sleek kitchen with glossy white cabinets and tiled floor — Source: @a_s_interiors_ via Instagram

Modern kitchen with bar stools and polished floor tiles — Source: @cb_loves_interiors_20 via Instagram

Elegant white kitchen with island and pendant lights — Source: @kromitex via Instagram

Elegant kitchen featuring white cabinetry — Source: @violet_road17 via Instagram

Some modern kitchens take the exact opposite route and look minimalist or slightly industrial. You can create this look in your kitchen with cement tile.

This traditionally commercial building material will give your kitchen a cool edge. However, if you don’t want to stray too far from traditional tile, then stick with plain porcelain in a hexagon tile shape.

5. Achieving Visual Interest with Subway Tiles

Do yourself a favor, and don’t put a mosaic tile on your kitchen floor. These intricately patterned kitchen tiles are meant for your backsplash. Mosaic tiles on the floor will look busy and overwhelming. This limits what you do with the rest of the kitchen.

Bright kitchen with blue cabinets and wooden floor — Source: @ckl_kitchens via Instagram

Modern open kitchen with patterned mosaic floor — Source: @elitimo_home via Instagram

Cozy kitchen with white cabinetry and black and white floor tiles — Source: @samanfamoz via Instagram

Kitchen with decorative tiled floor and grey brick wall — Source: @the_klat_schak via Instagram

Modern kitchen with patterned floor and white tiles — Source: @tilemall_au via Instagram

Grey kitchen with intricate tile floor and marble counters — Source: @twouptwodowling via Instagram

If you want to create a pattern on the floor, try a subway tile. These simple rectangular tiles don’t have patterns on them, but you can create a pattern with the tile by laying them in a chevron or herringbone pattern.

6. Natural Tones for Depth and Texture

The smartest choice you can make for your kitchen is to stick with a neutral tile. Travertine tile is a perfect example of this type of tile. It comes in a wide variety of neutral shades, from darker brown to light beige.

Compact kitchen with white cabinets and tile flooring — Source: @foreverhome6a via Instagram

Modern kitchen with wood accents and ambient lighting — Source: @ourhappycheshirehome via Instagram

When choosing a neutral-colored tile, look for one that embraces natural tones. This will create variety, texture, and visual interest. Do not choose a plain beige tile. This will look dirty and dated.

You could also choose a gray tile with varying shades of gray that range from dark charcoal to almost white.

7. Transforming Your Kitchen with Rustic Tiles

Give your kitchen a rustic appeal with rustic tile. This is perfect for a farmhouse-inspired kitchen where you don’t want to have wood floors. The rustic tiles will not be perfectly square. Some could have dents or chips. The edges will be uneven, and the tiles could be different sizes.

Traditional kitchen with wooden island and checkered floor — Source: @bountiful_flooring via Instagram

You could use natural stone tile, terracotta tile, or stone tile. You can buy these tiles in handmade designs. This will give them a varied and rustic appeal.

Just be careful when laying these tiles. You want them to be varied, but not too uneven. The floor shouldn’t be so uneven that it can be dangerous to walk on.

8. Vinyl Tiles for Quick Upgrades

If you can’t do a complete remodel on your kitchen, then consider using vinyl tiles. These are peel and stick tiles that you will adhere to your existing flooring. For some people, this means putting them over your existing tile floor. Or you could put them on your roll-out vinyl flooring.

Kitchen with wooden cabinets and light wood look tile floor — Source: @absoluteflooring_yorktown via Instagram

Chic kitchen with herringbone floor and brass accents — Source: @brunnerlass via Instagram

Be careful when choosing your vinyl tiles. You don’t want to try and use wall tiles on the floor. They aren’t durable enough and will begin to peel up. Be sure to thoroughly clean and prep your flooring before applying the tiles. This will ensure they securely stick.

9. The Investment Value of Wood-Look Tiles

A modern trend in tile is to make it look and feel like a hardwood floor. This gives you the look of a wood floor without the maintenance and vulnerability of real wood.

When choosing wood look tile, consider the size, color, and texture. Some wood tiles have a slight texture, while others are heavily textured. The tile also comes in a wide range of wood types, from dark to light. There are also some that have a more rustic look for an aged appeal.

Narrow kitchen with dark cabinets and light wood floors — Source: @anishamadaan4 via Instagram

Kitchen with herringbone floor and a dark island — Source: @kentishflooringcentre via Instagram

Elegant kitchen with navy cabinets and parquet tile flooring — Source: @1930s_forever_home via Instagram

Bright kitchen with white island and wooden floor — Source: @thefarmersdaughterdesigns via Instagram

Kitchen with white cabinets and gray herringbone floor — Source: @vaskotileco via Instagram

This type of tile can be expensive. However, it’s well worth the investment for beautiful neutral flooring that will stand the test of time.

Be sure to work with someone who has experience laying this type of flooring. They need to randomize the tiles to ensure your floor looks like a real wood floor and not a patterned tile.